That same evening, Richard sent a quick email to Cyborg, asking him to send copies of the security camera footage outside his room. Cyborg said he'd get on it ASAP. Richard than shut his laptop, gently tossed it to the side and flopped on his back. So far, he hadn't been actively investigating…anything. If anything, he'd been surprisingly apathetic towards the whole thing; and it had shocked him. The old, younger him would have been all over this secret admirer thing. He would not have rested until him/her/them were found and brought to justice for this stupid crush. But here he was…day 9 of secret admirer Christmas gifts, and he hadn't even bothered to dust for fingerprints or…anything. It was like he had grown completely…numb. Richard sat up abruptly, his eyes focused hard on the bathroom door. He really needed to see those security tapes. It was time he actively took part in this non-existent investigation.
Richard sleepily made his way down the steps of the manor, surprised to see Raven already awake and engrossed in a conversation with Bruce at the table. Richard smiled when he noticed the multiple waffles on her plate. "Morning, Master Grayson," Alfred greeted, staring at Richard who had stopped at the open doorway.
"Morning, Alfred," Richard decided to sit next to Raven. "Morning," he smiled at her.
"Morning," she replied softly.
"Raven was just updating me on…the gifts you've been receiving," Bruce said seriously. Richard could swear there was a humorous glint in Bruce's eye, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "Any leads?"
"Uh...no," Richard said slowly as Alfred placed a plate of pancakes in front of him. Bruce raised a curious brow. "Shouldn't you…get on that?" Bruce asked.
"I have Cyborg looking into something," Richard answered. "But I didn't want to bring my work here, to Gotham," he smiled at Raven who looked away. "Raven has never really had the opportunity to fully…enjoy Christmas."
"Any plans for today?" Bruce asked.
"Dress shopping," Richard answered. "Raven needs one for the Christmas Eve gala."
"I could make a few calls, set up appointments, so you can have privacy."
"What a marvelous idea, sir," Alfred said.
"Isn't that too last minute?" Raven asked with a furrowed brow.
"Not for a Wayne," Richard smiled. "And…you're going to need two dresses?"
"Two?" Raven asked curiously. "Why?"
"I'll tell you later," Richard winked at her, "Bruce, would it be too much to ask for you to do that?"
"Not at all. This way, you won't have to worry about being bombarded by paparazzi and fangirls," Bruce said as he pulled his phone from out of his pocket.
"I'm sure Master Grayson will appreciate all the privacy he can get," Alfred said. He turned to Richard and said, "Many of the changing stalls in the newer luxury designer stores have been reinforced with steel, in case of any
"Thank you, Alfred," Richard pushed himself away from the table and glared at the old butler.
"Just thought you should know," Alfred said as he returned to the kitchen. Richard was going to murder Alfred.
An hour later, Richard jogged down the steps, ready to go to a high-end boutique with Raven…who was at the bottom of the steps, waiting for him. She was dressed in black leggings, black Uggs, and a beautiful black winter jacket that almost reached her knees. Her hair was black, and her eyes were bluer than his. As enchanting as they were, he couldn't help but miss the violet irises. "You ready?" he asked with a smile.
"Lead the way."
She rubbed her hands together. They'd finally left the manor…on their way to a fancy boutique for dress-shopping. Her comrade in arms promised enough time to enact their plan. It would take some time, but seriously…he should have figured out his secret admirer by now. Come on! She rolled her eyes. Wasn't he supposed to be the world's youngest detective? The Boy Wonder? Was she not dropping enough hints? The signs were always in front of him. But no, his mind was elsewhere, most likely on his Christmas companion. All right, she sighed. Fourth day of Christmas here she comes. This could take several days.